Subaru Impreza WRX STI is one fast hatchback

Compacts are more popular than ever. But drop a turbocharged engine and an incredibly sophisticated all-wheel-drive system in one and you give it a whole new cache.

Witness the Subaru Impreza WRX, a compact that comes as a four-door sedan or hatchback model. For 2008, it's bigger, sporting an almost 4-inch longer wheelbase at 103.3 inches, while its manners have been improved with a more refined double-wishbone rear suspension.

But the WRX hasn't forgotten its roots, which is as a turbocharged rally vehicle. I got to drive the STI version of it, the one conjured up by Subaru Tecnica International, the high-performance group at Subaru, which means it gets its own engine, drivetrain, suspension and interior. In short, it's the bad boy of the family - and therefore the one everyone wants to get to know.

Turbocharged

The STI only comes in hatchback form and, for 2008, it's got another 12 horses, thanks to its 305-horsepower 2.5-liter intercooled turbocharged Boxer engine with 290 pound-feet of torque. The horizontally opposed 4-cylinder engine differs from its predecessor in the fact that it has what Subaru calls Dual Active Valve Control. That translates to a system that controls timing on both intake and exhaust valves, a process that not only enhances performance, but improves fuel economy some too.

So what you get is a vehicle that jumps from 0 to 60 in just over 5 seconds, which is a figure lots of people can rally around, literally. And pushing the 6-speed stick around is a lot of fun too.

Feet First

The WRX has also always stood out for its all-wheel-drive. The WRX STI gets its own version of it with Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-DRIVE), which, for the first time, utilizes the vehicle's dynamic and traction control systems (which can also be turned off) and allows the driver to choose between three modes. There's "intelligent" mode, which slows the throttle and cuts the horsepower and torque to earn better numbers than its stated EPA figures of 17 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway. There's its default "sport" mode, because the car is a sport. And then there's the "sport sharp" mode, which is the one you want for the twisties.

But your choices don't end there, and frankly, that's where I got a little confused. The "Driver Control Center Differential" allows the driver to wield more influence via nine different settings that adjust the torque distribution. Three are automatic, including one that leaves the computer totally in charge and two other auto modes where the center limited-slip differential is locked or unlocked and the computer makes the rest of the decisions.

And then there are the six manual modes, which allow the driver to change up the torque distribution in order to deal with varying road conditions. And here's where the car lost me. It was sunny the week I drove it and I just couldn't come up with enough bad road conditions to justify shifting the torque around that much. It's in difficult road conditions (or emergencies) where you can really put these options to the test and you need a more sophisticated driver than me to distinguish between the over 80 possible configurations.

Two of those drivers are John Baldwin Sr. and Jr. of Baldwin Motors, the people who sell Subaru vehicles locally.

"The all-wheel-drive is phenomenal. If one wheel has traction, the car will pull. It's the only vehicle that can do that," said Baldwin Sr. "John Jr. was racing in Road Atlanta recently and he could pass the Vipers and the Corvettes on the straightaways because of the all-wheel-drive. He could get traction they just couldn't in the rain."

So in addition to being a quick little sucker and a rally car, the WRX STI is also a technological wonder.

Practical Matters

And then there's its practical side. Roomier than it was before, the WRX STI offers easier egress, a 60/40 split rear seat for up to 44.4 cubic feet of cargo room and, thanks to its stiffer structure, a quieter, more comfortable and safer ride. The Brembo anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist are quite good and head up a list that now also includes side curtain airbags.

As Baldwin Sr. says "The STI with the new design is very practical and refined. There's a lot more room, a wider stance and improved comfort and handling. So you can have brutal performance, but ride in comfort and safety."

Even in doing so though, the STI didn't forget its fun side. The interior yells "Sport!" with its twin cockpit design, predominantly black interior with brushed aluminum-style accents, electroluminescent red gauges, its three-spoke telescopic steering wheel with controls, its metal pedals and its two-tone, stitched and leather bolstered seats with their suede-like inserts and integrated headrests.

Outfitted with bulging fenders, scoops, vents, a rear spoiler and quad exhausts, the exterior too announces its sporting intentions. The WRX STI is no shrinking violet in any sense, in spite of its hatchback size and practicality. And it's made to run under any condition - and the worse, the better, it seems.

Base price on the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI I drove was $34,995 and it includes automatic climate control, all the expected power features, 18-inch alloy wheels and more.

And if you think a fun car can't be practical, here's an interesting fact: Baldwin Sr. says "95 percent of the Subarus sold in the last 10 years are still on the road."

The icing on the cake is that the Subaru dealership ranked #1 in customer satisfaction for the last four consecutive years is - you guessed it - Baldwin Motors.